"listening for the Holy Spirit"

The Rev. James Hicks
President of the Western District Executive Board

"Listening for the Holy Spirit"

In this first year as District President I’ve been listening, because I believe it is the task of leadership. It’s been a blessing to visit with the Joint Board of one half of the District congregations. Several of those visits involved the call process, though most were focused on building relationships and offering encouragement. Paul’s words to his "beloved" Timothy have instructed and encouraged us. Hear the tenderness of Paul’s affection, "Recalling your tears, I long to see you so that I may be filled with joy" (2 Timothy 1:4).
The opportunity to visit with pastors and to hear their witness has been a gift and a joy. In our listening together we’ve shared our hopes, dreams, struggles and sometimes our stubbornness! All point to a love of the Lord, which is at the core of our work.
Several things jump out at me as I listen to Joint Board leaders. One is a deep hunger for their congregations to thrive. When the church listens to this hunger, we are at our best. Our listening together has led me to hear the following difficult questions. As you read them, I wonder what you hear.

-How do we get more members?
-Does the District Board, PEC or other congregations care about us?

As our congregations have struggled in recent years, we have become more isolated. It is not uncommon to turn within. It is a basic survival instinct. I pray that the hunger of faith will continually cause us to turn our attention outward. Evidence of this outward turn has been accumulating for years. Thus it is not surprising that mission trips and a prophetic concern for justice are shaping the life and witness of the church.
In the isolation of incarceration, Paul maintained his outward focus. He was passionate about encouraging Timothy. Who are we passionate about encouraging? Where does the Holy Spirit seek to move us out of our isolation? There is a deep hunger in the church to listen together for the leading of the Spirit! There is a deep hunger for words of encouragement and affirmation.
We’re not the only group whose struggles are evident in our questions. Page through Luke’s gospel and look at the questions asked of Jesus. I was shocked to realize how rarely the disciples are portrayed asking questions. Instead the questions are asked by Jesus’ parents, the devil, demons, rulers, scribes, Pharisees, chief priests, a lawyer... What does this mean? Is Luke nudging us to listen to the world’s questions and to Jesus’ responses!
Being heard is a gift. Listening is a gift too!
Engaging together in basic Christian disciplines such as prayer, study of the Scriptures, and acts of hospitality, reveals where Jesus is sending the Holy Spirit to guide us. Together, let’s pray, study and practice hospitality so we can recognize who we are being sent to. Do we hear how the Holy Spirit seeks to overcome our sense of isolation? When prayer, Scripture and acts of hospitality shape our lives and thinking, we are equipped to follow. Listening prepares us to say, "let us follow Him."
-James


The Western District of the Moravian Church in North America elected the Rev. James Thomson Hicks of Green Bay, Wisconsin, as President of the Western District Executive Board (WDEB) during the 40th Synod of the Moravian Church Northern Province. The Western District of the Moravian Church in North America consists of 39 recognized Moravian Congregations throughout California, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin, as well as growing and emerging churches and fellowships in development in Indiana, Minnesota, and California.

The position was left vacant after the Rev. Larry Christianson resigned to accept a specialized ministry call to serve as Chaplain of Moravian Care Ministries in Chaska, Minnesota, an elder care ministry of the Western District. Hicks will complete the term once occupied by Christianson which ends in 2008, at which time the District will hold an election at their District Synod which is held every four years and was last held in 2004.

The Western District Executive Board consists of the President, two clergy members, and four lay members. Their mission is to: "Together we serve Christ through leading, supporting and empowering the clergy and congregations of the Western District." They represent the entire District and not geographic areas.

In accepting the position, the Rev. Hicks invited those assembled to lay hands on each other as he prayed by saying,
"Gracious Lord, I ask you to receive the prayers of these your people. Thank you for silence to contemplate your presence, your power, your partnership, and your passion for each one. In your prayer for us may we experience your hunger for everyone in the global community. Give us courage to love so that our disagreements would take us deeper into ministry - together, not estranged. Give us courage to hope so that imagination and play, thoughtfulness and discernment would fill us with your Holy Spirit. Give us the courage of faith to see this world through the eyes of your cross."
"Gracious Lord, as a servant leader I ask for your guidance. I thank you for your claim upon my life and I call on you to bless these your people as they serve you. Amen."

Born in Staten Island, New York, Hicks is a 1975 graduate of Moravian College, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and attended the Pacific School of Religion, Berkeley, California, where he received his Master of Divinity Degree in 1979. He was ordained a Deacon of the Moravian Church in North America in 1980 and was consecrated a Presbyter in 1989. He has served the Moravian Church as the pastoral leader of Fargo Moravian Church, Fargo, North Dakota from 1980-1986. From 1986-1987, the Rev. Hicks served as Clinical Pastoral Education Chaplain Resident II at Methodist Hospital, Rochester, Minnesota. From 1988-1997, he was released for service to Central United Methodist Church in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and served as an Intentional Interim Pastor at Brookfield Presbyterian Church, Brookfield, Wisconsin from 1999-2000 before returning to the Moravian Church where he currently serves West Side Moravian Church, Green Bay, Wisconsin. In addition to his pastoral duties, the Rev. Hicks has served as the Chairperson of the Building Committee of Mt. Morris Camp and Conference Center of the Moravian Church from 1997-2001 and currently serves his community as the Chairperson of the Religious Leaders Caucus of JOSHUA (Justice Organization Sharing Hope United for Action). JOSHUA is engaged in building relationships with a broad spectrum of persons to address the need of neighbors for affordable housing, and to offer Treatment Instead of Prison (TIP) to non-violent drug offenders. In 2005, Hicks was elected to be a clergy member of the Western District Executive Board through a special election to fill a vacancy left open by the Rev. Elizabeth Miller.
Hicks, and his wife, Joy, reside in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are the parents of two adult daughters, Emily and Hilary.

The Moravian Church was founded in Germany more than 500 years ago and at that time was officially called the Unitas Fratrum, or Unity of the Brethren, which remains the church's official name today. The Moravian Church is one of the oldest Protestant denominations dating back to 1457 in Europe and first coming to America in 1735. Moravians have a strong tradition of ecumenical work and are best known for their missionary work and rich musical heritage. The Moravian Church in North America is comprised of the Northern and Southern Provinces. The Northern Province has approximately 28,000 members in 102 congregations in 13 states in the U.S. and two Canadian provinces. The Southern Province includes nearly 20,000 members in 58 congregations, which are located primarily throughout the Southeast. Moravians now number more than 789,000 worldwide and are spread across five continents and more than 20 jurisdictional provinces.